“The Review” ~ A Novelette

A Kindle ebook

Struggling to get his writing career off the ground, Gus Barton finds an ally in an unlikely place.

By day, Gus Barton delivers packages for PDQ, but at night he turns into August Barton, thriller writer. When his first novel is published by a small publishing company, Gus dreams of acceptance into the Thriller Writers Association, but sales are slow and Gus discovers the challenges of getting noticed.

To generate interest, he gives away a few copies of his book through an online contest. Soon after, a negative review appears online, and Gus’s hopes for a best seller are dashed.

Written by an influential reviewer, the review confirms Gus’s worst fear: he’s a failure. His wife, Sally, shows little interest in his latest venture, and the members of his critique group are as inexperienced as he is. They encourage each other’s efforts and offer superficial comments and suggestions, but none of them are writing thrillers, and they are focused on their own projects. Gus needs help if he’s going to succeed as a novelist.

Desperate to improve his writing—and his life—he befriends a lonely recluse who agrees to give him feedback on his work in progress.

What emerges will transform both men’s lives.

“A well-written tale with a good character who undergoes a nice transformation from avenging writer to a more self-aware, caring author.”